I've always wondered about RPG companies vs. the Digital Age

[TheTSKoala]

So, CG comes out with PDF versions of books.  Personally, I love the idea.  Lets me do some GC work while I'm on travel for work without lugging around a small library.  (Two thumbs up CG.)  But, I always wondered, with the bad press of Napster, Peer2Peer, etc. do the RPG companies have a strategy to combat their product just blowing around the internet like a shingle in a tornado?

You always hear about the big execs suing small children, I'm assuming that seeing as litigation takes mind-numbingly lots of capital, suing everyone and their mother isn't an option.  What's a small to mid-range companies attack plan?

P.S. Ever think of including the PDF with the printed copies of the book?

[Aragathor]

But, I always wondered, with the bad press of Napster, Peer2Peer, etc. do the RPG companies have a strategy to combat their product just blowing around the internet like a shingle in a tornado?

Some will go the route taken by the music industry (like tricksters from the beach). Some publish for a dedicated audience that doesn't want to harm the company that provides them with quality stuff.

You always hear about the big execs suing small children, I'm assuming that seeing as litigation takes mind-numbingly lots of capital, suing everyone and their mother isn't an option.

Germany was the first european country that blocked this way of action for the big corps, they file every suit of this type under "minimal damage/loss" and drop it.

What's a small to mid-range companies attack plan?

Quality and customer relations. Let's face it, the real quality work isn't being scanned. You can find D&D, NWoD, and WFRP. But not the L5R 3ed or SC 2.0.
Why? Because companies like Crafty and AEG know what the customer wants.
Look at the whole L5R franchise, it's huge. You have the CCG, RPG, the free stories on-site, community support and so on. Simply said, you get a decent bang for your buck.
Look at Crafty Games. The main book is big, it's the thickest RPG book I own, and compared to some D&D ones it's inexpensive (cent-per-page ratio).  The PDFs are really good and inexpensive. Everyone can buy them, even if he has a really tight budget. There's no incentive to download the stuff from some p2p network.

do the RPG companies have a strategy to combat their product just blowing around the internet like a shingle in a tornado?

YES! Gun toting pirate-ninjas riding giant robotic velociraptors that transform themselves into pink aircraft carriers!
I need a coffee...

[ThunderMonkey]

I'm a true pirate at heart and I have no qualms about downloading materials. However, if I really like something, I would end up buying a copy of it or a pdf version of it. (In case of a song, I would buy the album and recommend it to everyone else, especially the non-radio artists). Otherwise, it gets taken off the hard drive.

I live in Western Arkansas and there are only three book stores in a 70-mile radius that sell RPG materials. Most of the time it's White Wolf or WOTC, a few indy publishers manage to squeeze in there. I've only seen two Spycraft 2.0 books on the shelves and the original rule book. I had to order all my other original Spycraft books off the net or through special order at one of the book stores, if I can.

That said, I have saved myself a ton of money and heartache from purchasing books, that seemed really good in context, but sorely lacking in content.

[TheTSKoala]

Oh I hear that one.. not to start a "bash WOTC" thread, but man, I remember when one of my co-workers who plays D&D (I'm more the modern day / Sci-fi type.  Elves annoy me.) was talking about his three books that gave him rules on.. playing in the North Pole, During a Hurricane, and if he got lost in the Sahara Desert for 7 months.  ...each at $30-ish a piece.  I was like.. egads!  So far though, CG sure as all heck gives you the bang for your buck.

[Golden Dragon]

P.S. Ever think of including the PDF with the printed copies of the book?

The Crafty Three have stated several times that they will not be able to include the PDF with the book. They are sold through different channels and there is no reasonable way to manage the Crafty's current contracts and offer the PDF with the hardcopy. Sorry.

[TheTSKoala]

Ahh.  Well, that's okay!  I still love the product.   

[Maldroth]

well I've asked several small companies that do both PDF and Print versions of their products and most have gravitated to the following:

While piracy does occur the percentage is small enough that if further measure was taken to digitally secure the product it would impede the use of the PDF and make it inconvienent to use. Rather than turn more people away with a difficult to use product than prevent pirates (which most are clever enough to circumvent most measures) they opt for the method used now.

Some have thought about ways to tie digital downloads with a serial code but then you have to have unique ones otherwise someone can easily post the download code and not only do you lose out on the money for the PDF but also the bandwidth used to download. Unique codes like MMOs use can be done but is very costly and not really feasable for most RPG companies.

Providing them on CD bundled with the book is also a distribution and logistics nightmare and why companies don't opt for it.

WotC is big enough that the code solution works for them and the amount of piracy is going to be so small that they will gain more praise for including the PDF option with their books that it will really offset the costs. Its an impressive incentive to buy the books and will work well for them I just hope it doesn't create an expecation among RPG consumers for other companies to follow suit because it would be very difficult to do.

[GlassJaw]

DRM is anti-consumer, not anti-piracy.

[Forcegypsy]

DRM is anti-consumer, not anti-piracy.

Exactly. Also, I'd like to give a huge consumer thank you to Crafty for the one time update to the 2.0 pdf, that will be coming down soon after the release of the 2nd printing hardcover. I really appreciate it.

[Pheonyx]

Exactly. Also, I'd like to give a huge consumer thank you to Crafty for the one time update to the 2.0 pdf, that will be coming down soon after the release of the 2nd printing hardcover. I really appreciate it.

Same here... thanks a lot

Ashes to ashes,
Pheonyx

[Crafty_Alex]

Exactly. Also, I'd like to give a huge consumer thank you to Crafty for the one time update to the 2.0 pdf, that will be coming down soon after the release of the 2nd printing hardcover. I really appreciate it.

You're welcome. At one point, we had debated (briefly) calling the new SP "Spycraft 2.1" but in the end, saw that the reaction to 3.5 and all the negative associated forthwith, and decided we didn't want the bad press - or make the fans feel they had to "rebuy" the book from Crafty (though we'll be glad if you choose to! ). Those of you who have purchased the PDF are truly our company's first customers, and the upgrade is both fair play and a thank-you for your support.

[Alphastream]

WotC is big enough that the code solution works for them and the amount of piracy is going to be so small that they will gain more praise for including the PDF option with their books that it will really offset the costs. Its an impressive incentive to buy the books and will work well for them I just hope it doesn't create an expectation among RPG consumers for other companies to follow suit because it would be very difficult to do.

There's nothing wrong with innovation. WotC's idea to provide books with the pdfs (perhaps for a minor extra fee) is certainly a solid move. I know tons of people who have illegal copies of D&D Complete blah books. Sure, you can blame WotC for making non-essential and blah-filled books (When is Complete Animal Companion gonna hit the shelves...), but they shouldn't fail in part due to piracy. Similarly, it would be a travesty if CG lost real revenue because of piracy. (Me, if I know I will never buy a book but need to look something up, I go to the nearest book store and take a look at stuff. Downloading to "try" is ok, if you really are going to immediately delete it and not use it.)

WotC, by providing books with pdfs encourages the traditional table-top gaming, which I appreciate. I am not a big fan of pdf-only, though I get the model and for the small things Crafty made (I've purchased both Bag of Guns) I am ok with printing them. But for a rulebook... I really would like both.

There is a lot that a big company can do to push innovation further. An updated pdf with the latest errata always in it would be insanely cool. Having constantly updated links to new material would be great. This is all going to happen, I believe. I don't expect a small company to do this now, but I imagine it is all being discussed/considered, and I'm ok with WotC (and other companies) pushing the envelope.

I'll buy a game on cuneiform mud tablets if it is good enough, but I would like the latest bells and whistles if possible...

Teos

[Antilles]

Of course, what with Mongoose's new printer, you could just wait until the first dozen or so BFoG are released, then order a proper copy of it. 'Course, it'd probably have to be in black and white, and the print version, but it's well worth it to have them done properly.

[Maldroth]

What I really enjoy about PDFs of main rulebooks is the versatility it can offer if you can take advantage of it.

For instance I can print out a few pages as relevant handouts, reduced the need to refer to the entire book when I need a dozen pages. This can also limit the need for book sharing at the table during critical moment. (I still like to see my players with their own books though so they can actually read material in their leisure).

Some PDFs if done from a digital working copy can be searchable or made searchable to cut down on needless hunting for a rule or instance of a passage. Bookmarks can also help speed up reference. Not all PDF products offer this, since its what I work with on a daily basis its easy enough for me to add.

Nicest thing about seeing PDFs offered by WotC is finally having a decent digital reference rather than hoping to find/buy one and it be an utter disapointment.

As much as I like the digital revolution sweeping the gaming industry I still love the smell and sound of cracking open a new book, and that can't ever be replicated for me with PDF.

[Minion]

I'm still to be convinced that piracy of something like RPG material actually cuts seriously into profits. I know a couple of gamers prone to using pirated rulebooks, but I also know that if pirated copies weren't available they wouldn't have gone out and bought them instead. They just would've done without.

Not condoning piracy, of course. If you want to use a rulebook, you should pay for it -- somebody worked hard to write it, and they deserve your cash. But I'm not convinced that throwing money at your anti-piracy method of choice is worthwhile. Not least because:

DRM is anti-consumer, not anti-piracy.